Cigarette smoke alters IL-33 expression and release in airway epithelial cells

AbstractAirway epithelium is a regulator of innate immune responses to a variety of insults including cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke alters the expression and the activation of Toll Like Receptor 4 (TLR4), an innate immunity receptor. IL-33, an alarmin, increases innate immunity Th2 responses. The aims of this study were to explore whether mini-bronchoalveolar lavage (mini-BAL) or sera from smokers have altered concentrations of IL-33 and whether cigarette smoke extracts (CSE) alter both intracellular expression (mRNA and protein) and release of IL-33 in bronchial epithelial cells. The role of TLR4 in the expression of IL-33 was also explored.Mini-BALs, but not sera, from smokers show reduced concentrations of IL-33. The expression of IL-33 was increased also in bronchial epithelium from smokers. 20% CSE reduced IL-33 release but increased the mRNA for IL-33 by real time PCR and the intracellular expression of IL-33 in bronchial epithelial cells as confirmed by flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry and western blot analysis. The effect of CSE on IL-33 expression was also observed in primary bronchial epithelial cells. IL-33 expression was mainly concentrated within the cytoplasm of the cells. LPS, an agonist of TLR4, reduced IL-33 expression, and an inhibitor of TLR4 increased the intracellular expression of IL-33. In conclusion, the release of IL-33 is tightly controlled and, in smokers, an altered activation of TLR4 may lead to an increased intracellular expression of IL-33 with a limited IL-33 release

MANUAL AND MECHANICAL LEAF REMOVAL IN THE BUNCH ZONE (VITIS VINIFERA L. 'NERO D'AVOLA'): EFFECTS ON PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, VEGETATIVE PARAMETERS, YIELD AND GRAPE QUALITY IN A WARM AREA

Mechanical and manual leaf removal of Nero d Avola vines were carried out in a commercial vineyard in Sclafani Bagni area, Sicily (South Italy), in the 2007 growing season. Rows were North East-South West oriented and vines were spur pruned and non-irrigated. The aim was to investigate the effects of two different ways of defoliation on plant physiology, vegetative parameters, yield and grape quality in a warm temperature area. Fruit zone defoliation consisted of mechanical (MLR) and hand leaf removal (HLR), applied either to both sides of the canopy (Northweast and Southeast). These treatments were applied when the berries had reached pea size and compared to a non-defoliated treatment (control). Hand and mechanical leaf removal caused different and significant reduction in leaf area per shoot modifying leaf-to-fruit ratio. Different vegetative activity was showed among the treatments during the vegetative season (from pea size to harvest). Consequently, differences in canopy architecture were measured at pea size and harvest. Photosynthetic activity of primary leaves was higher in leaf removal treatments than in non-defoliated. In HLR must sugar (°Brix) tended to increase during ripeness process, but at harvest no significant differences among treatments were found. Skin total anthocyanins was lower in HLR and the control vines showed the highest values. Leaf removal had effect on variability between the two canopy sides (Northeast/Southwest) for total anthocyanins and flavonoids. In this study leaf removal at pea size did not modify significantly grape quality of Nero d Avola

Vegetative and reproductive parameters evaluation of alternative plant material

Dead vines are often a problem in many vineyards and are due to physiological or pathological causes whereby the vines need to be replaced. The replacement operation is a real cost for the direct costs of the plant material, for its planting and for their different management during the current year or in the two years after the replacement, determining also vineyard variability. When replacement is performed in the first years after vineyard establishment it is quite easy, whereas many issues occur when replacement is later, particularly issues considering roots competition. To reduce replacement problems, the use of “alternative plant material” has been evaluated. The “alternative vines” were one year old with a shoot length 80-100 cm and a shoot diameter no less than 7.50 mm. Such plant material has higher producing costs than normal vines, but it has a shorter and easier training period. The use of “alternative vines” also can be a useful tool in varietal changing (in addition to or in replacement of the graft techniques) to obtain a moderate yield since the plantation year. In this case the cost-effectiveness should be evaluated carefully. The research conducted during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons studied the cultivation techniques adopted in the nursery to obtaining suitable “alternative plant” with different graft combinations. Vegetative and productive parameters of “alternative vines” during the first year of planting were also evaluated. Results suggest different vineyard management compare to the traditional management. Particularly, in the nursery, vines seemed to be more vigorous when there is a greater distance in the row and foliar fertilization is applied. During the first year of planting good vegetative and reproductive performances were shown. When bunches were left on high vigor vines, they ripened properly without negative effects on the vegetation development

Orientamento dei filari e sfogliatura: effetti sulla qualità dell’uva nella cv Cabernet Sauvignon

La prova è stata svolta, nelle stagioni vegeto-produttive 2006 e 2007. Un trattamento di defogliazione precoce (DP) è stato, eseguito nel periodo compreso tra l’allegagione e la fase acino pisello (ø = 5 mm), mentre un trattamento tardivo (DT) è stato effettuato all’invaiatura (ø = 10,5 mm). Nel 2006, gli acini provenienti dalle piante defogliate precocemente hanno raggiunto il massimo contenuto di antociani per acino con circa 15 giorni di anticipo e con un valore superiore rispetto a quelli della tesi controllo, mentre nel 2007 l’ondata di calore verificatasi in agosto ha annullato gli effetti del trattamento. Il trattamento DT, esponendo gli acini a intensi flussi radiativi, ha causato, nel 2006 un rallentamento nella sintesi ed un concomitante prolungamento del periodo d’accumulo, mentre nel 2007 ha inibito del tutto la sintesi degli antociani. La defogliazione ha determinato, inoltre, una diminuzione percentuale degli antociani acilati ed una variazione nell’incidenza percentuale della malvidina- 3-glucoside. In entrambi gli anni l’esposizione precoce ha favorito la sintesi di proantocianidine.The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of partial defoliation on canopy sides of two vineyards, which had two different row orientations and were exposed to solar radiation for different num- bers of hours during the day. The experiment was carried out in Sicily in two irrigated vineyards of cv Cabernet Sauvignon (clone 377) grafted onto 1103 P rootstock, with a different row orientation: North- East/South-West (vineyard A) and North-West/South- East (vineyard B). The canopy sides that received less hours of solar radiation had higher anthocyanins contents. The defoliation treatment, instead, did not improve the grape quality, but, sometimes, it accele- rated anthocyanin synthesis

Effect of artificial shading on the tannin accumulation and aromatic composition of the Grillo cultivar (Vitis vinifera L.)

Background: White wine quality, especially in warm climates, is affected by sunlight and heat stress. These factors increase the probability that ambering processes will occur and reduce the potential flavour compounds. This study aimed to investigate the effect of sunlight reduction on the accumulation of polyphenolic and aromatic compounds. Results: This study was conducted in a commercial vineyard containing V. vinifera L. cv Grillo. Opaque polypropylene boxes (100% shading) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) net bags (50% shading) were applied at fruit set. The effect of the shaded treatments was compared to the exposed fruit treatment. The shaded treatments resulted in heavier berries and lower must sugar contents than the exposed treatments. Proanthocyanidins and total polyphenol levels were similar in the exposed and bagged grapes; however, the levels were always lower in the boxed fruit. At harvest, the highest aroma level was measured in the boxed fruits. Conclusions: The boxed fruit had less sugar, fewer proanthocyanidins and more flavours than the exposed grapes. The reduction in flavanols reactive to p-dimethylamino-cinnamaldehyde as (+)-catechin equivalents and total skin proanthocyanidins is an important result for the white winemaking process. In addition, the higher level of aromatic compounds in shaded grapes at harvest is an important contribution to the development of different wine styles